


Very Modern and Very Interesting

by inquisitor_tohru



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon Era, Fluff, M/M, Season/Series 04, Thomas Deserves Nice Things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-10
Updated: 2017-10-10
Packaged: 2019-01-15 18:40:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12326649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inquisitor_tohru/pseuds/inquisitor_tohru
Summary: When he and Lord Grantham make the return journey from New York, Thomas meets a nice lad on board the RMS Mauretania.





	Very Modern and Very Interesting

**Author's Note:**

> Because Thomas deserves more than the show's writers credit him with.  
> (The title is, of course, Thomas' reply to Molesley's enquiry about his trip to New York in season 4.)

_On the RMS Mauretania , 1922_

* * *

 “What’re you doing up here then?”

“Just enjoying the view.” Harry lit his cigarette, and the thin ribbons of smoke mimicked the steam rising from the black-topped funnels. Thomas shivered, fumbling with his own lighter, hands numb from the cold night air.

“Here.” Harry took pity on him, lighting Thomas’ cigarette with his own.

“Thanks. Not much to see though,” Thomas said, nodding towards the vast darkness that was both sky and ocean.

“Oh, I can see enough,” Harry grinned, “though I wouldn’t say no to-” A pair of flappers walked past, giggling as one almost tripped over one of the deck chairs they’d rented earlier. They both laughed softly, and Harry brought his cigarette to his lips, still smiling.

“You’re a funny one, Barrow.”

“So I’ve been told.” Harry laughed again, a little louder this time. He was always laughing, was Harry. It made Thomas feel as if his stomach was turning in on itself. Not like the seasickness he’d put up with on the journey out to New York, when the winds had been howling like nobody’s business and stirring the seas up into a frenzy.

“There’s no need to look so grim, I didn’t mean it to sound _unkind_ ,” Harry tossed the sorry remains of his cigarette overboard before throwing an arm around Thomas and patting him on the shoulder.

“Oh, don’t worry. I’ve had worse.”

“Can’t imagine why.” Thomas snorted - coming from anyone else, _that_ would have sounded unkind. But Harry, _Harry_ with his warm amber eyes and his crooked smile - barely seemed capable of such a thing. Thomas hesitated before covering the hand on his shoulder with his own, letting out a silent sigh of relief when Harry’s fingers intertwined with his.  _Once bitten, twice shy,_ as his mam had always said.

He envied anyone lucky enough to have only been bitten the once.

Harry rested his head on Thomas’ other shoulder, lips just barely touching the sliver of skin exposed above his thick woolen overcoat. Thomas shivered again.

“Perhaps we ought to go inside,” he ventured, feeling a hand slide down to his thigh. There was no one around, now that the flapper girls had left, presumably having slipped back to their cabins, but Thomas had always valued his privacy. Besides, it was getting bloody cold.

“If you like. It _is_ a bit nippy up here,” Harry’s lips curled against his neck, and Thomas felt the chill more keenly when he drew back. “Well, lead the way then.”

“Your cabin’s nearer. I don’t fancy the walk all the way to mine...and you’ve still got half of that godawful bottle of...whatever it is.”

“Gin,” Thomas said, though he had to admit it didn’t taste like any _English_ gin he’d ever had. They walked close together, and Harry’s knuckles brushed against his own. “Don’t worry, I’m sure we’ll find a way to keep warm.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt it,” Harry chuckled. “You’re terribly resourceful. Except when it comes to gin, apparently.”

“I think I did rather well, all things considered.” Of course, it had in fact been Mr Levinson who’d acquired the “gin”, but Harry didn’t need to know all about that.

“New York, it’s...very modern and very interesting, but...” Harry paused, his tone a little more serious, even if he was smiling. “It’s not Yorkshire, is it? I was looking forward to getting back, y’know? Funny thing is that after this week...well, now I wish we’d a few more days at sea is all.” Thomas’ chest tightened.

“We can always write.” He wanted to say that Sheffield wasn’t so very far away from Downton - but he shouldn’t push his luck.

“I’d like that. Very much. And from what I recall...” Harry stopped to unlock his cabin door, and quickly pulled Thomas inside, kissing him as soon as the door was shut. Softly, gently.

_“Downton is not so very far from Sheffield.”_

It was a bit of an odd feeling, hope.


End file.
